Well, finally we have made it to the end of 2020. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has wondered whether this year would ever end. The final sunrise of the year has been a beautiful one, and while I would love to say I went for a long walk to watch it, I didn't - I sat in my dressing gown and gazed appreciatively out of the window. But let's wrap up this 20 in 2020 experiment with a final tally, shall we? 20 things mended (10/20) I think more things have broken in December, but I've not mended any of them. Ten things feels like an extremely low number for an entire year, and I suspect I've just not done a very good job of keeping track. I've certainly not been throwing things away rather than mending them. 19 letters written (achieved in December) I finally made this one, with a flurry of festive letters. I've really enjoyed writing more letters this year, and receiving them, and this is definitely something I'm going to carry on with. 18 days without internet (6/18) Hmm. I hit six days in September, and haven't added a single one since. What a sorry state of affairs! I'd certainly like to spend more time without the internet, but perhaps whole days at a time is just too daunting? Something to focus on next year, I think. 17 books read (achieved in March) I've very much enjoyed reading more this year, and have been experimenting more with both audiobooks and ebooks, making good use of our local library. I've also bought more books this year than I would normally - probably not something I'll continue once life is more back to normal. 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (achieved in December) I'm counting a win for this one, with a flurry of making present bags in December. I've been utterly delighted with these. I started trying to do fancy drawstring bags earlier in the year, but as Christmas approached settled (on Peter's advice) with a simple rectangle with a ribbon sewn into the hem. I've got about 40 now, and they are a pleasure to use (and used up a nice bit of my fabric stash too). I did manage to break both the needles in my overlocker making the denim one though, oops. 15 meals with friends (achieved in August) No more, and now we're in tier 4 there won't be any for a good while. I did get a takeaway cup of tea with a friend yesterday, and we sat in our separate cars, parked two metres apart, talking through the window. What a very 2020 experience. 14 meals from home grown produce (stopped counting in September) More pies, including a special Christmas day pie, which had various things in from the garden. 13 evening lectures (7/13)
No more in December. I've enjoyed watching various webinars and recordings through the year, but given how much time I spend looking at a screen for work, I've not wanted to do too much of this, and part of this goal was to get me out and meeting some more local people. Let's see what 2021 brings. 12 donations to the foodbank (achieved in December) This was more of a reminder for me to throw some extra things in my trolley each month, but with things being as they are, most of these donations have been online, and it seemed a bit daft keeping track of them. Still, foodbanks have been needed more than ever this year, sadly, so it's been good to be in a position to donate. 11 solo days out for me (2/11) No more for me - but this is something I need, so I'll be making more of an effort next year. 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) Still none! Plenty of pancakes though... 9 bike rides (achieved in July) No bike rides in December, although I'm starting to feel the pull towards the trails again. Not while it's so icy (and not while we're in tier 4 either so we might be waiting a while). 8 organised runs (2/8) No. I have been for another run with our little running group though, which was nice. I need to build back up slowly I think. 7 new places visited (4/7) Not really been the year for it, has it?? 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) I'm hoping this will get more likely once I've got a kitchen... 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) Not really the year for this either... We do hope to get away somewhere, preferably for a proper holiday, in 2021, but we'll see how the world is by then. 4 pairs of socks made (1/4) I'm delighted with my single pair of socks! 3 days volunteering (0/3) 2 LAND centres visited (1/2) 1 holiday (0/1) No, no and no. Well. That wasn't really the year any of us had planned, was it? Who would have thought that even things like meals with friends would have been put on hold? Looking back, I'm surprised how many of my 20 things involved being out and about. I did at least achieve some of them - letters written, books read, household things made, meals with friends, eating produce from the garden, donations to the food bank, and bike rides. Not too bad I don't think. I won't be doing this again. I'm sure in a normal year it would have been a lovely way to keep track, but this year with the world changed so much, it's just served as a regular reminder of all the things I wasn't doing. Of course some of them I could have done anyway - I certainly could have joined in with the sourdough craze -but somehow priorities changed. I did like the discipline of regular updates though, so I'll see whether there's anything else I'd like to track this year. Although perhaps it's best not to tempt fate...
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Almost the last update! There are so many things on this list that I'm not going to get anywhere near the end of, but that just sums up this whole year all round really. Let's see how we did in November. 20 things mended (10/20) I keep feeling like I must have mended more things than this. Certainly many things have broken. Perhaps I'm just not very good at keeping track. Apparently none added in November. 19 letters written Well I'm not sure I managed any in November in the end! But I'm on the case writing letters to go into Christmas cards, so I'm confident that this target will be met in December. 18 days without internet (6/18) No more whole days, although I did get a bit better at getting out of bed without looking at my phone in the morning. Could do better. 17 books read (achieved in March) Gone back to some old favourites recently - usually a sign that my brain is too full and I can't take on board anything new. 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (15/16) Well now, I'm counting this, even though technically I didn't actually make it, Peter did. It's a tabletop standing desk, and while I haven't used it as much as I should have, it's definitely come in handy and saved my back a few times. 15 meals with friends (achieved in August) No more in November, and now we're all only allowed to meet outside, probably no more this year. 14 meals from home grown produce (stopped counting in September) More pie! 13 evening lectures (7/13) I watched a webinar on electric cars run by a local environmental group. Not something we're considering right now, but definitely on the cards at some point in the future. 12 donations to the foodbank (10/12) Counting two this month - one online donation, and then a donation to a friend's fundraiser. 11 solo days out for me (2/11) 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) 9 bike rides (achieved in July) 8 organised runs (2/8) 7 new places visited (4/7) 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) No, no, no, no, no, no, and no. 4 pairs of socks made (/4) Yes!! Finally I finished my socks!! I've been wearing them as 'outer socks' since I finished them (they're rather too chunky for sole socks) and they are SO warm and cosy. Probably not going to get another three pairs finished this year...
3 days volunteering (0/3) 2 LAND centres visited (1/2) 1 holiday (0/1) No, no and no. Yawn. What fun idea this was, and how odd it has all turned out! I shan't be doing it again next year. I can see that it would have been a lovely way of structuring my months had the world not turned on its head. As it turns out, it's felt like an increasingly irrelevant list of things I thought I might do but which turned out to be impossible (except for things like bread and cheese - I could have done those, but didn't). Anyway, there we are. Final round up next month! Time keeps ticking on, and despite it feeling like this year might just last forever, the months are actually passing. My 20 in 2020 project feels less like a project and more like a taunting to do list at the minute. Much as I like tracking what I'm up to, I'm not sure I'm going to do it in this format again. Still, I do feel the need to finish it now I've started, so here goes. 20 things mended (10/20) Just one this month - I mended the seam on a pillow. Of course, I left it far too long, and the whole seam ripped, and stuffing got everywhere. A stitch in time would indeed have saved me far more than nine on this occasion. I used the opportunity to take it all out and fluff it up before sewing it back together. I thought I'd taken a photo but I can't find it anywhere. 19 letters written (15/19) Just one this month, to a friend I've not heard from for yonks. I do have a couple of others to reply to though, so hopefully the tally will creep up in November. 18 days without internet (6/18) No more to add this month, oh dear! My prediction that I'd need to spend the whole last week of the year without internet to get my tally up is in danger of coming true. Have I really not spent more than six days in the last ten months without the internet? 17 books read (achieved in March) Reading has tailed off again somewhat this month as work has been busy again and I've not wanted to read anything, paper or screen, except the occasional book in the bath. Hoping this will pick up again, as I've enjoyed reading a lot this year. 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (14/16) No more this month. 15 meals with friends (achieved in August) Sadly this has tailed off considerably with the weather turning, the darker nights, and many of our friends going into Tier 3. We're all now in national lockdown, so no chance of a meal with anyone. We did spend quite a bit of time in our favourite cafe on our own before the lockdown, but aside from one lunch with a friend (which doesn't count, because it was just me, not both of us), there's nothing to add here this month. 14 meals from home grown produce (stopped counting in September) Ooh, now here there is indeed some progress. Peter has developed a new and surprising enthusiasm for making pies. He doesn't have much enthusiasm for eating pies though, so that task largely falls to me. I'm not complaining. Mostly they're made from whatever is growing in the garden (turnips, kale, chard) and eggs, cracked whole into the pie crust on top of everything else. They're great. 13 evening lectures (6/13) Progress here too, although technically they weren't in the evening. I signed up for the annual Permaculture Convergence, and watched four hour-long sessions over the course of a weekend. Most enjoyable, and I've still got several left to watch. I've just realised the picture below shows me watching the London Marathon (which I was meant to do, not watch, but the less said about that the better) - I did knit while watching the Convergence too though. 12 donations to the foodbank (8/12) Another online donation. 11 solo days out for me (2/11) Not technically a day out, but probably as good as I'm going to get at the minute, so I'm counting it - a whole morning sitting on my own plotting and scheming in a cafe with my notebooks, and then wandering around town. Hadn't realised how much I just needed to hang out with myself for a while. 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) 9 bike rides (achieved in July) 8 organised runs (2/8) 7 new places visited (4/7) 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) No, no, no, no, no and no. 4 pairs of socks made (0.75/4) Still not finished, but I'm getting there! 3 days volunteering (0/3)
2 LAND centres visited (1/2) No, and no. 1 holiday (0/1) Oh, we got ever so close on this one! Not an actual holiday, but a weekend away (but not a No Quibble weekend, because it was a joint choice of where to go). I booked a couple of days off work, and we spent forever trying to find somewhere isolated to go but... now we're in lockdown again. We didn't even get round to booking it in the end. We are SO very ready for a holiday. We've not even had a weekend away since staying with friends in Berlin in 2017, and we've not had a proper holiday for over five years. Hey ho, maybe next year. We're going to try to make good use of my time off, which is coming up this week - more on that next month. So there we are. No progress at all on most things. A little bit of knitting, a bit of mending, some letter writing, some garden pies, and a few online lectures. Not too bad, considering. What will November bring? Some letter writing, I imagine. No meals with friends, no weekend away. I might aim for a bike ride, and a couple of days without the internet. Will I finally bake a loaf of bread, or finish my second sock? Stay tuned... Ah September. Some years I love the back-to-school feeling, but this year I just feel like the sunshine has been stolen and I'm spending all my time indoors, and I don't like it. A few things have been ticked off the list though. 20 things mended (9/20) I don't think I mended anything in September, although I have identified a few things that need mending so hopefully the total will increase in October. 19 letters written (14/19) Two short letters this month, to accompany parcels sent to friends. I've got a few to reply to now though so I might allocate an evening for letter-writing. I'm struggling to find writing paper locally, and have been using old fairly random bits I'm finding in the house, but that's all nearly gone now. I'm not averse to just sending letters on normal A4 paper but it's nice to have something a bit more special sometimes. 18 days without internet (6/18) One more added in September, and I can see I'm going to have to add a few more in October, else I'm going to end up having to forego the internet for the whole of the last week of the year at this rate. 17 books read (achieved in March) Still reading, rediscovering old favourites, using the Kindle app to find new things. 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (14/16) Just one more this month, a small make up bag, after mine disappeared. As I started making this, it occurred to me that I've never made anything with a zip before! All the sewing I've done, and I've always managed to avoid zips. Considering that, I don't think I did too badly, although it's certainly not going to win any awards. My sewing machine needs a good clean, it's skipping slightly, and I couldn't find a zipper foot and made a bit of a hash of going round the zip. Still, it works, and used up some old bits of fabric I've had knocking about for years. 15 meals with friends (achieved in August) Total already achieved, but more in September, although they're starting to slow down now the nicer weather is going, which is a shame. We did have a glorious day for some lunch a couple of weeks ago though, and I hope our garden shelter can keep us going a bit longer into the autumn. 14 meals from home grown produce (stopped counting in September) I confess I've stopped counting with this one. I've not had any entire meals with only home produce, and I can't see myself wanting any, given what we've grown (turnip omelette, anyone?) I'm declaring this one achieved in spirit though as we're eating plenty of kale, eggs, turnip etc just mixed in with our normal meals. 13 evening lectures (2/13) I've finally made a start on this one! A local organisation has been running some online seminars - I've not made it to any live ones, but I've now watched a couple of recordings - one about biodiversity in the local area, and another about a community garden. Both were interesting and enjoyable, and I have a few others lined up in October. 12 donations to the foodbank (7/12) Another online donation, although I did see that a local supermarket had a trolley full of brown paper bags designed as food bank donations with prices written on the side. I didn't have time to rummage through, but I did think it was a good idea. 11 solo days out for me (1/11) No more this month. 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) Still not a single one - I wonder if I'll even make one before the end of the year? 9 bike rides (achieved in July) I don't think I went for a bike ride at all in September! My big bike got another puncture, just sitting in the coal shed, which I've still not fixed. I did take my folding bike to cycle round the city when I took the car to the garage though. 8 organised runs (2/8) No more running at all in September. Funny how things change - at the start of the year I was running a lot, then I switched to cycling, and I've not done any of either for several weeks now. Me and my sister were meant to be walking the virtual London Marathon today, as it happens, but between a local lockdown and lack of training we made an uncharacteristically sensible decision not to. 7 new places visited (4/7) One new place added in September - Chrome Hill, which is pretty close but which we've never been up before. It's been on my list of things to do since we moved here though so it feels good to have it ticked off finally! 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) Still no progress on either of these. 4 pairs of socks made (0.75/4) Some sock progress though! One sock is finished and the other is almost half way there - I got quite a bit done this morning while watching the elite marathons on the tv. Sadly I seem to have done one section wrong on the first sock, and right on the second, so they do look quite different. Sigh. I've made this pattern several times now - it's very straightforward, but I do seem to do something different each time! Next time I'm going to learn from Lucy at Attic 24, who has bought a second set of needles and knits both socks at the same time - one row on the first sock, one row on the second. This is a genius idea, as the only thing I hate about sock knitting is finishing one and having to do the same again before you wear them. I won't be going as far as Lucy in matching the patterned wool though. 3 days volunteering (0/3)
2 LAND centres visited (1/2) 1 holiday (0/1) No, no and no (again). Hey ho. Some things seem to be going nowhere. There certainly won't be a holiday this year, and I suspect not even a weekend away. Probably no volunteering or organised runs - certainly no races. Bread and cheese are more likely, although not at the rate I'm going. I can certainly make more progress on some things though - mending, making things for the house, letter-writing. I'm going to aim for at least a couple of evening lectures in October, and a couple of days without the internet too. And maybe I'll even get to the end of my second sock! August has been a peculiar month. I've been off work for half of it, but it doesn't really feel like it. It's rained more than I'd like, and I've not achieved half as much as I feel I should have. As usual though, things have ticked on. 20 things mended (9/20) Two things added this month - I've sewed up several holes in a pair of leggings, and de-moulded a pair of posh shoes. 19 letters written (12/19) Two more letters this month, bringing the total to twelve this year. I've enjoyed writing letters, and even more enjoyed getting them back. 18 days without internet (5/18) Two this month, and both within the last week - and I've felt much better for both of them. Yes, it's annoying not being able to look something up quickly, but I've enjoyed the feeling of having hours to spend outside or reading a book. Definitely going to plan for more of these. I don't find them easy, but they're very satisfying, and that's all the more reason to do them I think. 17 books read (achieved in March) Still reading a lot - this is a great habit to have got back into. 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (13/16) Well, I think we need a recount on this one, as my paper list and internet list are just not matching up. I'm counting multiple small things made at the same time (eg cleaning cloths) as just one item, but if I've made a second batch a couple of months later, that counts as a second item. I made six pairs of knickers at the start of the year, and it seems I counted them as one item on one list, and six items on the other list. Let's have a compromise - I made three different designs, so let's count them as three different items shall we? 1. hot water bottle cover 2. face flannels 3. cleaning cloths 4. knickers! 5. different knickers 6. and more different knickers! 7. Peter's hat 8. cushion covers 9. candles 10. cleaning cloths 11. drawstring bags for cleaning cloths 12. face masks 13. present bags Ok, that seems like a reasonable compromise. The present bags were this month's addition - just simple drawstring bags to wrap Peter's birthday presents in. I made a sack to put Christmas presents in a few years ago, but I still wrapped everything individually. Each year I think it's a waste of paper, and each year (until now) I did nothing about it. Apparently I didn't even take a photograph but I'll do a separate post later. 15 meals with friends (achieved in August) We've tipped over fifteen this month, which is very exciting! After such a long lull without seeing anyone, it's been so nice to have a flurry of visitors to our little garden. We've very much enjoyed cooking and eating outside with them all. 14 meals from home grown produce (2/14) Now, I think I'm going to break my own rules on this, and change it to 'meals including a good proportion of home grown produce'. There are only so many kale omelettes a girl can eat, and I'm not that interested in eating 14 kale omelettes for the sake of being able to tell you that I did. However, we have started harvesting this month, and I have had two meals which predominantly featured kale, chard and eggs - some cheese yes, but since I've not started producing that myself I'm still counting it as a win, especially as they were both finished off with muffins I made - one filled with blackcurrants and the other with our entire rhubarb harvest. 13 evening lectures (0/13) Nope, still none. I keep putting them in my diary but not actually going back to watch them. 12 donations to the foodbank (6/12) Another online donation. I never feel I want to linger long enough in the supermarket to collect things at the minute. 11 solo days out for me (1/11) Yes, finally!! I went to Lyme Park last Monday and my goodness it was lovely. I can't imagine I'm going to make eleven solo days out this year, but a couple more would be nice. We'll see. 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) No, still none. I'm just not eating that much bread at the minute. 9 bike rides (achieved in July) Well, after all my fanfare and excitement about cycling in July, I've only been for one bike ride in August! One of my bikes needed a new wheel, the other had two punctures, and inertia stopped me dead. Still, one bike is now fixed, and I had a glorious ride down one of the old railway trails last week. 8 organised runs (2/8)
No. I very nearly booked onto an organised trail run, but wimped out at the last minute because I didn't know anyone else going. Most unlike me. 7 new places visited (3/7) Two this month! Lyme Park, and Hilbre Island, which I walked to with my sister last week. I'm saying I've not been to either of these places - I have a vague feeling I might actually have been to both, but many, many years ago, and they didn't feel remotely familiar when I got there, so I'm counting them as new. 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) No, and no. 4 pairs of socks made (0.5/4) No pairs, although I have finished one whole sock now! Just need to cast on and knit the other one... 3 days volunteering (0/3) 2 LAND centres visited (1/2) 1 holiday (0/1) No progress on any of these either. Overall not too bad. One new thing achieved (meals with friends), two new things started (meals from own produce, and solo days out), and progress made on other things. September is often a busy one at work for me, so I'm not anticipating I'll get much more done. The garden is producing steadily though, so there may be some progress there, and as the nights draw in maybe a bit more knitting will get done. Well see. July has been filled with cycling and gardening, but I think I've managed to get a few other things done too. Let's see, shall we? 20 things mended (7/20) Nothing mended in July (I don't think). 19 letters written (10/19) I finally got round to replying to some letters in July, so three more added to the total. Getting there! 18 days without internet (3/18) I did finally remember to have a day without internet in July, and it was great. Lots of reading, most of the day out in the garden, and a good night's sleep. Since then, I've been leaving my phone downstairs overnight rather than taking it to bed, and I've gone to sleep earlier and got out of bed more quickly in the morning too. A good habit to be in. 17 books read (achieved in March) 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (15/16) I made another couple of masks in July. We've been wearing ours in supermarkets etc for a while, but it's now mandatory for most people here, so it's good to have spares. Our previous ones tied behind the head, but that was getting rather tiresome, so I've gone for a different design with ear elastic this time. I can't find the exact pattern I used now, but it was very similar to this one. 15 meals with friends (14/15) Since the lockdown restrictions eased a little, we've had quite a lot of visitors, so our 'meals with friends' count has increased considerably. Pizza with friends in their garden, and then a succession of people here, including friends who camped in the garden for a couple of nights (I've only counted that as one meal, although we ate breakfast and tea with them each day). Gosh it's nice to see people again, and to cook simple food outdoors. 14 meals from home grown produce (0/14) No whole meals, but we're getting closer. I made some gooseberry jam, and I suppose if I'd made some bread as well I could have counted that, but I didn't. We have a plentiful supply of eggs now that the new ladies are laying, and the veg patch and fruit bushes are producing a little now too. I'm going to make a special effort to make at least one entire meal from scratch in August (and yes, it will likely be a kale omelette...). 13 evening lectures (0/13) Nope, although I have signed up for a HarvardX course which I'm enjoying immensely - especially as they have filmed the actual Harvard lectures and put them all online. I'd highly recommend these - they're all free, and I'm learning so much, both about the subject and about teaching style. Not really what I had in mind when I was thinking of evening lectures (which were more about interesting talks run by local groups) but an excellent substitute in the current circumstances. 12 donations to the foodbank (5/12) Financial donation again this month. 11 solo days out for me (0/11) 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) Still no progress on either of these. 9 bike rides (11/9 - target achieved!) So many bike rides! I really got into cycling in July, not surprising really given the nicer weather and long hours of daylight. I've been regularly going down the old railway trails before work, and been cycling eight, ten, even twelve miles at a time. Sadly, in the last week of July I noticed a problem with a back wheel on one of my bikes, so switched to the other, which I knew had a slow puncture in one wheel - and I ended up with a puncture in the other wheel too. New wheel on order for the big bike, and I'll have to fix the little bike as well before I can go out again. Hope my cycling enthusiasm doesn't wear off in the meantime. 8 organised runs (2/8) 7 new places visited (1/7) 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) No progress on any of these still, and probably won't be this year (except perhaps the cheese making). 4 pairs of socks made (0/4) Socks still aren't finished, but progress is being made at least. 3 days volunteering (0/3)
2 LAND centres visited (1/2) 1 holiday (0/1) No progress on any of these either. Not bad all round for July, I don't think. Targets now achieved for reading and cycling, and getting there for household items and meals with friends. Not at all bad under the circumstances. Let's see what August brings... I confess these 20 in 2020 updates are starting to feel a little tiresome, with so many things that I put on the list at the start of the year that have so far been impossible. So I'm going to rattle through this list without lingering too much on what hasn't been done. 20 things mended (7/20) I'm starting to wonder why I even put this on the list. I mean, I like mending things, and mending rather than throwing away is good, but I haven't needed to mend that many things because not that many things have broken... No more this month. 19 letters written (7/19) 18 days without internet (2/18) No more progress on either of these in June. 17 books read (DONE) I met this target in March, and in June I stopped writing down what I was reading and have lost track. This has very much worked to get me back into the habit of reading though, 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (13/16) No more in June 15 meals with friends (8/15) Now here there HAS been some progress! I'm not counting tea and cake in cafe, or when I meet a friend on my own - this is both of us having a proper meal with our pals which, miraculously, happened three times in June. All three times here, outdoors, some weather better than others, but all excellent fun. Long may it continue. 14 meals from home grown produce (0/14) Still none, but with the new chickens now laying I reckon we can knock up a simple herby omelette sometime soon, and I've already made some gooseberry jam so just need to dig out the breadmaker... (obviously I'm not growing my own wheat - but I reckon homemade jam on homemade bread will count). 13 evening lectures (0/13) Nope. I confess after a day of staring at the computer screen I haven't really wanted to spend the evenings doing the same thing. 12 donations to the foodbank (4/12) I actually managed to collect a physical donation while I was doing my shopping in June. 11 solo days out for me (0/11) 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) 9 bike rides (3/9) Yes! So many bike rides! Well, two in June it seems (but a lot more in July...). I'm really enjoying taking my bike down to the old railway trail and doing a few miles on a Friday morning, and sometimes in the evenings too. Utterly glorious. 8 organised runs (2/8) 7 new places visited (1/7) 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) No progress on any of these things 4 pairs of socks made (0/4) Some sock progress though! I found a ball of wall I'd bought ages ago from The Inkpot, and have made a start on a sock. So far just the one, and I've had to order some more wool for the second, but that's arrived now so I'm hoping I might have a pair sometime soon. 3 days volunteering (0/3)
2 LAND centres visited (1/2) 1 holiday (0/1) Ok, so some progress on socks, bike rides, and eating with friends. More of all of those things in July, plus maybe even some home grown food and a few more letters. We'll see. I found this postcard recently in a stash of photos from my university days (was that really twenty years ago?!) It feels as apt now as it did back then, and I've been digging through the comfortable complacency that's settled on me in the intervening decades to rekindle my sense of outrage. There is, after all, plenty to be outraged about. May was another month that seemed to both fly by and last forever. Most places still in lockdown, outcry in the UK about Dominic Cummings breaking the rules, and George Floyd's murder sparking protests and long-overdue questions and reflections and awareness of systemic racism across the world. Everything feels up in the air. At home, May saw my first lockdown trip to a big supermarket on my own - so far I've been waiting in the car park while Peter went in. It was surprisingly uneventful - not too many people, not too long a wait, and everything pretty well stocked. I'm not sure I'll ever get properly used to wearing a mask, but hopefully it won't be for too long. So. An update to my 20 in 2020 list - although with so many things still impossible it does feel rather futile. Still, I do like to keep track, so here we go. 20 things mended (7/20) May was a month of mending outdoor things. First, and most dramatically, the septic tank overflow pipe. The farmer who uses our fields for his cows noticed a suspiciously lush green patch of grass (and a bit of a smell), and suggested we might want to check our drains. He was right (he usually is) - the pipe was completely blocked. We borrowed a set of rods, and spent a sunny afternoon shoving them into the pipe until the gunge poured forth. It wasn't quite as grim as it sounds, and I'm always pleased when I can do something myself rather than having to pay someone else. The second outdoor thing I mended was this wall. Not strictly what I had in mind when I started this list, but if I hadn't fixed this, the cows would have broken into my hay meadow. I'm trying to get the hang of quickly fixing a gap in a wall like the farmers do, rather than spending months trying to make a perfect new section. 19 letters written (7/19) Just one more in May, although I've now had three back from people I've written to this year. I do like letter writing, and getting hand written letters in the mail is one of my favourite things. 18 days without internet (2/18) I didn't make time for one of these in May, and I really do need to in June. The rate I'm going I'll have to have half of December without the internet to make up for the rest of the year. 17 books read (35/17) I contemplated whether I should stop keeping track of what I've read, given that I passed my target before the end of March, but I think it would be nice to look back on a whole year's worth of reading so I'm going to keep going (for now, at least). Lots of audio books again, but I've started using the tablet for ebooks as well (and there are still some paper books too).
I've never really thought much about how I choose what to read, but there are patterns. It seems I don't read much fiction, and I read far more what can only be described as 'self-improvement' books than I would usually like to admit. In some senses I'm easily influenced, and this year especially have found myself down rabbit trails suggested by the library app (see February's running-themed list, for example). I like non-fiction books about people doing things that I like doing (gardening, walling, knitting), and I'm increasingly enjoying nature writing. I'm still working my way through the local library's rather eclectic selection of things, making an effort to read more explicitly anti-racist stuff, and returning to some old favourites occasionally too. I rarely buy new books, but my usual charity shop line of book procurement has been out of reach for a while now, and I have bought some new (mainly work-related, which I have mixed feelings about). I quite like this not-very-organised approach. 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (13/16) None in May. 15 meals with friends (5/15) Also none in May (but we have had some in June, most exciting!) 14 meals from home grown produce (0/14) Also none - and we're not even getting many eggs at the minute either, oh dear! 13 evening lectures (0/13) Again none, although we have done what feels like eleven million quizzes and a murder mystery. I've noticed the local Transition Towns group is putting on a series of evening seminars though so I might join one of those in June. 12 donations to the foodbank (3/12) Much of April's commuting costs went to the foodbank again. It feels a bit odd writing this here, as I don't tend to list what else I've donated to, but this was originally set as an intention to donate a physical bag of food to the collection point, but that's been impractical for the last couple of months. 11 solo days out for me (0/11) 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) 9 bike rides (1/9) Yes! Finally! Just a couple of miles round the block, and my brakes and gears were clunky and my seat kept twisting as I was riding, but it felt SO good to get out on my bike! Now we're allowed a bit further I might head to the flat railway trails again soon. I'm not a big fan of hilly cycling on narrow lanes, and without the trails, that's what I'm left with round here. More bike rides soon! More things not done...
8 organised runs (2/8) 7 new places visited (1/7) 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) 4 pairs of socks made (0/4) 3 days volunteering (0/3) 2 LAND centres visited (1/2) Yes! Well, not in person, of course, but Those Plant People did a lovely video tour of their place which I watched with great enjoyment, and I'm counting that as a visit, since it seems as close as we'll get this year. 1 holiday (0/1) Er, no. This one isn't going to happen this year now. So there we are. It seems from this list that I've been doing nothing but reading, household chores and watching videos of other people's gardens. I have, in fact, spent quite a lot of time working, and an awful lot of time in the garden (I'll do a proper garden update soon - possibly later today if it keeps raining). We're almost half way through June now and I'm going to make a real effort to do make a start on some of the things on this list that are being neglected. I'm sure I can manage another bike ride, and I must get a pair of socks on my knitting needles soon too. March seemed to last forever, but April, for me at least, has flown by. Like last month, many of the things on this list are now impossible, but I'll leave them there as things to aim for when the world changes again (although I suspect some of them won't happen at all this year now). Anyway, this is where we are with the list. 20 things mended (5/20) I don't seem to be doing much mending at the minute, but I did sew a button on to a fleece wraparound scarf/hat, so that's one extra thing added this month. 19 letters written (6/19) I was enjoying writing letters, but somehow April has whizzed past without me having written any at all. I've had replies from a couple of friends to the letters I wrote in March though, so responding to them, and maybe writing a few more, can be a nice task for April. 18 days without internet (2/18) No more this month, but I'm definitely in need of one in May. 17 books read (25/17) More good progress here, again mostly with audio books from the library, although there were one or two paper books as well.
16 household items or pieces of clothing made (13/16) Progress here too. I made some beeswax candles of course, using the kit I found. And I made us a couple of masks to wear to the supermarket (not that I've been in a supermarket myself since all this started, but I was experimenting). We're not required to wear masks in public places in this country at the minute, but I've found this review of existing evidence, published in the British Medical Journal, convincing. There's an easier-to-read summary here. The authors argue that, while home made masks aren't suitable for medical situations, and would be unlikely to prevent someone from catching the virus, they would restrict the flow from an infected person to others - my mask protects you, your mask protects me. They argue that Masks are simple, cheap, and potentially effective. We believe that, worn both in the home (particularly by the person showing symptoms) and also outside the home in situations where meeting others is likely (for example, shopping, public transport), they could have a substantial impact on transmission with a relatively small impact on social and economic life. Anyway, making a mask for wearing to the shops seemed like a small, practical thing to do. I used this pattern (tweaked a bit) after seeing it recommended on The Snail of Happiness blog. They were quite quick to make (although I used very thick elastic for one of them, and it was a nuisance to sew through), and Peter reports that his fits well and feels perfectly comfortable, for a short shopping trip at least. I might try adding a nose clip to his. They'll be useful after all this is over for dusty jobs like cleaning out the chicken run and DIY. As well as masks, I made some more cleaning cloths from an old piece of stained tablecloth (but I won't count those as I've already counted cloths in this total), and I made two drawstring bags (using this 15 minute tutorial) to hang them on door of the temporary kitchen - one for clean cloths and one for used ones. Very excited about this - I'm hoping it'll make it much easier to find a new cloth when you need one. And here we come to a big string of things that haven't been possible this month (or rather some of them have, but I haven't done them anyway).
15 meals with friends (5/15) 14 meals from home grown produce (0/14) 13 evening lectures (0/13) 12 donations to the foodbank (2/12) I donated what I would have spent on commuting in March to the local foodbank at the start of April, and I'll likely do the same with April's commuting costs. As this was a reasonably hefty amount, I've done it through their online appeal rather than trawling round the shops to spend it. And some more things I've not done. 11 solo days out for me (0/11) 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) 9 bike rides (0/9) 8 organised runs (2/8) 7 new places visited (1/7) 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) 4 pairs of socks made (0/4) 3 days volunteering (0/3) 2 LAND centres visited (0/2) 1 holiday (0/1) Oh dear! Still, some of things I could do, so I might turn my attention towards those in the next few weeks. Letter writing, making bread and cheese, knitting socks, maybe even a bike ride or two. I wonder what May will bring? I don't think I've ever known the world to change so much in the space of a month. It feels strange to be looking back over the last few weeks - so much on this list has now become either irrelevant or impossible. Still, it's good to keep track I think, so here goes with my 20 for 2020 update. 20 things mended (4/20) I've attempted a second repair on my sports watch using Sugru. I'm not sure whether it's worked or not yet, but I'm counting it in March's total anyway. 19 letters written (6/19) Ah, now this I have made progress on, and I think I'll make even more progress now we're all staying at home for the foreseeable future. Two letters written in March to friends I haven't seen for a long time. 18 days without internet (2/18) Another one added in March, a Sunday, and as it wasn't raining I spent most of the day outside. Definitely more of these in the near future I think. 17 books read (18/17) More good progress here, again largely thanks to the library's audio book service, but some actual paper books this month too.
So that's my target met and overshot by the end of March! I'm pleased about this - I feel like I barely read anything last year, and wanted to get back to reading, and now I feel like I have (even if much of it is listening, rather than looking). 16 household items or pieces of clothing made (9/16) No more this month. 15 meals with friends (5/15) A friend came over for the day at the start of March, but obviously there won't be any sharing of meals for a while now. Unless we have a virtual meal of course... 14 meals from home grown produce (0/14) Still nothing but eggs (the rhubarb is looking tasty though, shouldn't be long til that's ready). 13 evening lectures (0/13) Still none, and none likely for the foreseeable future. Looks like I won't be meeting this goal this year. 12 donations to the foodbank (1/12) I did attempt to donate to our local foodbank but their website was down for a while - I've now managed it, but it will come under April, not March. 11 solo days out for me (0/11) Still none, and again, none for a while... 10 loaves of bread made (0/10) Still none - although at least this is something that we can still do, so watch this space! 9 bike rides (0/9) We got SO close to going on a bike ride. Bikes retrieved from the back of the garage, flat tyres fixed, gears and brakes checked, helmets on, set off up the driveway... and then Peter's chain snapped. Sigh. I've fixed it now, but obviously now we're not meant to be driving anywhere to exercise, and cycling from home is rather hilly, so we'll see... 8 organised runs (2/8) Just one in March - our running group reached our target and did the local 5k race. It was good, and while it was far from my best 5k time, I knocked a good couple of minutes off the time I'd taken to do the Parkrun a few weeks earlier so I'm counting that as a success. I had a 10k race booked for 19th April, and a half marathon for the end of May, but obviously both of those have been cancelled now. I've been keeping up with the running group's planned sessions on my own though, and am pleased how that's been going (especially as I now have to run from home and as above, it's rather hilly). 7 new places visited (1/7) Nope, and again, none likely for a while. 6 attempts at cheese making (0/6) Still none, but like making bread, this is something we can still do, so I might have a go this month... 5 'No Quibble' weekends away (0/5) No. We got very close to planning a weekend away for my birthday at the end of April, but obviously that's now not going to happen. Oh well, we've managed three years without a weekend away, we can manage a little while longer! 4 pairs of socks made (0/4) No, but I must get on the case with this soon. 3 days volunteering (0/3) No. 2 LAND centres visited (0/2) No. 1 holiday (0/1) Ha - fat chance, It's funny now to see how many of these things involve me going out, travelling to other places. Who would have thought that's the one thing we now can't do? I'm actually surprised looking back that my list doesn't involve more at home things.
One thing I'm realising with our current situation is how much time I usually spend going elsewhere, and how much I'm appreciating spending more time at home. I've not left home for anything other than running for over a week now. Of course we're very fortunate to have plenty of outside space here, and I don't for once take it for granted, especially now the weather is turning. |
Hello!Sit down and make yourself comfortable. I'm Jenni, and I write here about our new foray into country living, which includes growing food, knitting, baking, wandering around the fields, and seeing which local cafe serves the best cake. Categories
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